THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF SEEDING.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3095, 7 January 1871, Page 4

THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF SEEDING.

-+ [From the Gabdenbbs' Chbonicle and Agbioultubal Gazette.] The following lecture lately given by Professor Buckman, at Blandford, Dorset, is well deserving of careful study by agriculturists. OBIGIN OF FABM PLANTS. He believed that all our farm plants were derivotes, fchafc by experimental processes tbey had been derived from wild ones. They should take care to sow seed sufficiently thin, so that one plant should not obtrude upon another j thus they would get; those plants whioh would pay fchem for the different process whioh they adopfced. He . believed that by suoh care in the cultivation plants would improve, and fchafc, e.g., fche wild oat was capable of producing the cultivated oat. He had cultivated some of fche wild oats, and nexfc year he found thafc they yielded grain ; by the process of cultivation he obtained in four or five years oats of 301bs to 401bs per bushel. On the otber hand, when he examined so me of the oats grown under wild circumstances — grown round the oat ricks—he found that they were not so good as the crop which he had bowh. When be went into the market and found oats 361bs and 381bB per bushel, he saw that some were thin in the berry, wifch some hair at fcbe base, showing that they were not the best kind, bufc oats fchafc had degenerated into wild oats. There was every reason fco believe thafc after all fche wild oats aboufc farms had in a greafc degree degenerated from the cultivated oafc. The inferonce was thafc, inasmuch as wild oats wore as capable of being, by cultivation, getting the best examples, improved to a cultivated state, so cultivated oats would degenerate into, wild oats. If fchey sowed oats of a poor quality on poor land tbey would find fchafc they would have a poor crop. He deduced, as already stated, this fact, that inasmuch as wild oats were capable, by oare and selection, by being put in prepared, cultivated ground, of advancing in the course of years to good cultivated oats, so good cultivated oats were capable of degenerating into wild oats. As the result of an experiment he had taken the seeds of a wild vetch and cultivated them, when he became aware of fchis important; fact — thafc under cultivation half the seeds would be very small indeed, while ofchers would be double the size. Examine any vetch you like, any sample produced fchafc you like, and you would find that the seeds varied considerably in size. He wenfc fco a farm, and was shown some small vetches. The farmer admitted that they were small, adding, "But then you see you get tho measure." Now experience showed him that measure was not enough for him. Giving the result of experiments with fche smaller and larger specimens, he showed fche advantage of the latter. As a general rule they would find, he urged, that fche besfc seeds would, under all circumstances, be the besfc for sowing. Ifc was a folly to suppose thafc filling up fche measure would answer the end in view; small specimens produced bufc small results. Ifc was the same wifch plants as wifch animals ; if you had nofc a good sire or dam you would be quite sure fco have small results. Ho wished them to understand with regard fco vetches fchafc fche matter of the selection of fche seed should be observed ; fchafc cultivated vetches wero but derivatives from the wild vetch. He had some some specimens of a wild parsnip, which he put; in a new bed; he selected the seeds, planting them in prepared ground, and instead of having the forked roots (indicating fche wild parsnip), he had the larger esculent, which was at present in cultivation under the name of the student; parsnip. Any of his friends present could try the experiment ; fchey could take fche wild parsnip seeds and put fchem in a drawer till nexfc spring; then they could put them in a prepared bed. Some, they would find, would be covered wifch hairs, and wild dark colored, ofchers would be light colored. They musfc select fcheir roots. Selected roots are of the utmost importance. From all the experiments, to whioh he had referred, he concluded fchafc all our garden esculent., all our cultivated farm plants, were derivatives, they had all been derived by cultivated processes, familar to every farmer, and which he constantly carried oufc. The farmer had his change of seed ; he got; his seed from different localities. These were cultivated processes. PBINOIPLBS OF CULTIVATION. His object was now to point oufc the principles upon which those cultivated processes deponded. In the first place, the selection of seed was the greatest possible importance. They knew very well thafc when fchey selected their seed they endeavored to get; seed of good quality. They wanted occasionally fco change the sort of seed. Why was fchis ? Because if fchey did not change the sort, if they kept the same place for sowing, they would be neglecting some of the cultivated processes by whioh the sorts they aimed afc had been derived. CHANGE OF SOIL AND SEED. . They wanted nofc only to change the description of seed, but also to change the soil ; they must go from one locality to another. Professor Buckman recommended that, when practicable, crops produced by the kind of Beed offered for sale should be examined. He observed fchafc when a new sort was introduced into a district it became fashionable, for the reason thafc ifc never had been tried before. It took a new position. Your neighbor got an excellent crop from ifc, better than before ; bo you tried it yourself, and it became fashionable. But by-and-by another sort was in- i troduced. Change was necessaiy on the principles which he had already pointed out. From i perpetual changes they obtained better crops. The greater the amount of changes the more they j were likely to succeed. There was ample evidence j afforded that the cultivated processes must be j paid attention fco. If this were nofc done, no good •" results could be expected. Next he would call their attention fco the quality of the seeds. They all knew that the seeds of all their crops varied very considerably, but fchey were perhaps nofc aware of the amounfc of variation. Tie had experimented largely wifch reference to this question, and had come to the conclusion thafc a great number of seeds were sold in the market which ought nofc to be sold, for they did not germinate. They contained a great quantity of weeds. Ifc was of the highest importance fco get fche seed free of weeds. He had seen samples containing enough weeds to stop all growth. Such samples every right;- minded and judicious farmer would repudiate. WHEAT AND BABLEY.— IMPORTANCE OF TESTINGSAMPLES FOB SEED. Wifch regard to wheafc and barley, ho had tried some experiments. He had seen samples of seed of which 72 per cenfc. failed to germinate. He had seen barley, of which 24. per cent, failed. Of come samples in his own neighborhood the failure reached 33 per cenfc. Persons sowing seed at fche present time sowed, in some cases, a sack per acre. Now, before sowing, fchey should try to do what ho had always himself endeavored to do — ascertain the germinating powers of tbe seed. He never put into the grouud a sample of wheat or barley until he had ascertained, if possible, what per centage would come up, how much per cent, would germinate. Ifc was easily done. The plan he . adopted was to take a small flower pot and press the soil in it, leaving the seeds even ; he put, say one hundred seeds in. If placed in a hot-bouße the seeds would come up all the quicker. Thus they would see the amount of germinating power. He had done this frequently. Hehadmade three or four experiments with barley. TUB-UP SEED. He remembered receiving a sample of seed. It was represented to consist of selected bulbs and 96 per cent would, it was said, come up. He tested the germinating power for himself, and found that --# 26 per cent would nofc come up, notwithstanding it was repxeeented that 9Q per cent WOUld be the -

" ' ~ yield. Therefore ifc was important thafc farmers should be careful in these mafcterß, that they understand the principal involved. They should ascertain for themselves as much as possible with regard to the quality and germinating power of the seeds. A respectable seedsman would ascertain this for them ; still thoy must look upon tho matter themselves — make it a matter of business only to trust worthy men. FAOTS ABOUT PBOFESSOB BTTOKMAN'S PABM AND THIN SEEDING, He Bhould now like to point out to them some facts — which he hoped they would consider interesting — connected wifch the quantity of seed fco be sown. This was a subjeofc whioh would occupy them until midnight. However, he did not intend to keep them very long. He should merely point out some facts and experiments connected with thin seeding whioh, if they did not care about practising, they would, atall events, be hoped, consider somewhat interesting. Regarding the quantity of seed to be .own, then it must be regulated by various circumstances — not only by the quantity of the B»ed itself, but by the climate, the soil, the kind of cultivation adopted, the forwardness of the work, and other circumstances which ifc would be quite idle for him fco explain before such a 'sooiety as thafc. He would point oufc to them some experiments which he had made in his own district. They mighfc look upon him, he dared say as a scientific man ; but he only pretended to be a plain farmer, and if they came to hia farm fchey would perhaps find many faults. They knew well enough fchafc a person mighfc have ideas and opinions, bufc could nofc get them carried out ; he knew that for his own part he should find, a difficulty in getting his men to do all the I things he wanted. When he entered upon his new farm his neighbors questioned fche expendienoy of using superphosphates and artificial i manures ; they had nofc experimented with them, and they thought that ifc was no use for him fco try them. He, however, adopfced his own course, and thafc the result was that persons were now using some of the appliances which they could not use before, because, as they imagined, of their inutility. He did nofc pretend to bo a good farmer ; he was not half so good a farmer as some of those present. He did not think he had farmed to much profit ; he had, however, endeavored to effect and carry out improvements, to make certain experiments connected witb the science of agriculture, and that wbb as much as should be expeoted from a young fellow like himself. He had determined to try experiments with regard to seeding. He had a capital man — a superior workman — he must nofc call him a bailiff, because that was a fanoy name for a small farmer's son. He found, respecting barley, that his man was using for seed a sack of barley per aore. He said fco him, "Thafc is too muoh. Suppose -you take a tumbler, and put three potatoes into it, you will find them too thick ; and if you fcake a thimble and sow three or four barleycorns in it you will find them too thick." He showed him that with regard to fche sack of barley per acre he was doing pretty much fche same thing. He was, however, at fche time in a fresh district, and he had always respect for men acquainted with the district. He studied principles particularly, because they could be applied universally. He was told thafc a sack per acre was nofc too much, and thafc his neighbor was sowing a sack and a half, which really proved to be the case. It was remarked, "If you don't put it in, Sir, you cannot expect to get ifc oufc." But, after all, that was nofc a scientific argument. If they came to analyse ifc they would see fchafc there was afallaoy in ifc, which he would nofc now stop to point out. In 1864 he tried the experiment of four bushels of barley ; in the following year he tried three, and had a good crop — he thought quite as good as that produced by fcho four bushels — probably better. In 1866 he again tried three bushols with fche same satisfactory result. In 1867 he tried two bushels, and in 1868 the same quantity with favorable results. These experiments proved to him the advantage of thin | sowing. He sowed in one part of fche ground six j pecks, and in another four pecks, They were in the same field, and tbe ofcher circumstancea were the same. As a result, he had from the four pecks the most magnificent barley. The result of the whole experiments tended to show thafc the I thinner the sowing the better were the samples produced, and an improvement in the quality of produce, wifch a saving in fche amount of seed surely seemed desirable.